Matthew G.

“I travel to see a different side of life and the human experience. Seeing the locals of a community in their authentic environment is a treasure.”

WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE YOU HAVE TRAVELED?

Oahu, Hawaii is by far my favorite place to have traveled so far. The magic of the North Shore with its simplified style of life is extraordinary. My most favorite things are right there, country-style living and beautiful waves and water adventures. As I attended different events, I was greeted with ‘Aloha’ and a spirit of inclusion. “How’s it brudda?” with a good smile was a most welcome and common phrase. The Aloha spirit is alive and well if you travel with love and respect.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE QUOTE?

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” – R. W. Emerson

It would be an absolute shame to waste this gift of life without making the most of myself and my ability to make the world a better place for as many people as I can while I’m here.

WHERE ARE YOU TRAVELING NEXT?

Ireland/Scotland will be my next big adventure.

When we were younger, we (us kids) thought our father’s side of the family was Irish (paternal) and Swedish (maternal), so I always dreamed of traveling there to find the Goodrich (Godric) clan. Well, it turns out my father’s side was English/Welsh and not Irish, but I still want to play my ukulele in some real Irish pubs, in a castle ruin or two and visit a place that has history and lore going back hundreds and hundreds of years earlier than America.

WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE MEMORIES FROM TRAVELING? TELL A STORY.

When I was younger, my grandma and grandpa took us on a trip south of the border to Mazatlán and San Felipe. It was a long trip in the back of our grandpa’s pickup truck camper shell in the middle of summer, but we got to learn some Spanish while we were down there. My younger brother Dewy famously (in our family) asked, “Como es la baño?”, or “How is the bathroom?” instead of “Where”. To this day whenever we ask where something is, we ask using “como”, or “how”.

WHY DO YOU TRAVEL?

I travel to see a different side of life and the human experience. Growing up poor, we didn’t really have the idea that we could actually travel the world and see new things outside of a road trip. Since I’ve gotten old enough and started doing well enough to actually conceive of the idea of traveling, I’ve tried to make every opportunity count. Seeing the locals of a community in their authentic environment is a treasure.

WHAT DO YOU WANT MOST IN LIFE?

While I’ve experienced loss of good friends, abandonment, and disappointment in my life, I’ve also experienced immeasurable love and joy. I feel I’ve had a far better life than a large portion of humankind and my human experience has been blessed.

I want most in my life to reach a point where I can spend most of my time giving to others, making their lives better.